BCCI announced the contract for 2017

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the list of contract players list on March 22. A total of 32 cricketers have been given central contracts.

As per the new contracts issued by the Committee of Administrators (COA) on Wednesday, there are 7 cricketers in Grade A, increasing the number from 4.

While Ravindra Jadeja, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara are the new comers in the Grade A, Indian captain Virat Kohli, former captain Ms Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin retained their spots in the Rs. 2 crore retainer section. Earlier, the retainer fee was Rs 1 crore for Grade A, Rs 50 lakh for B and Rs 25 lakh for C.

“The Committee of Administrators met earlier in the day and decided on the Annual Player Contracts for men cricketers for the period ending 30 September 2017,” BCCI said in a media release

“The Annual Retainer amounts were enhanced for all the categories and Grade A players will be paid Rs 2 crores per annum, Grade B will be paid Rs 1 Crore per annum and Grade C will be paid Rs 50 lakhs per annum, which is double the amounts paid in the earlier years,” it added.

The COA also decided to increase the match fees of Test cricketers to Rs 15 lakh, ODI to Rs 6 lakh and T20I to Rs 3 lakh.

“The Match Fee enhancement for men cricketers will be effective from October 1st 2016 onwards and Rs 15 lakhs per Test, Rs 6 lakhs per ODI and Rs 3 lakhs for T20 International will be paid,” BCCI stated.

The left-arm batsman Suresh Raina has been removed the BCCI’s contract list. Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has no place in contract. Senior left-arm batsman Yuvraj Singh has returned with a Grade B contract.